assistive technology helping students increase, maintain or improve

Assistive Technology

Helping Students Increase, Maintain or Improve

Who I am? Sean Kugler, skugler@fusd1.org,

www.fusd1.org/at

Husband

Father

Assistive Technology Specialist

Teacher/Trainer

Coach

Overview Definition of Assistive Technology

Examples of Assistive Technology

Why use Assistive Technology

AT Scavenger Hunt

Assistive Technology of Alaska

Assistive Technology (AT) Defined?

Any product or device…

used by a person with a disability…

to maintain, improve, or increase functional capacity.

(off the shelf, modified, or customized)

So, exactly what is assistive technology?

Assistive Technology (AT) describes a wide range of tools used to Increase, ________, or Improve functional capability

These tools aid almost every functional skill area such as: vision, hearing, mobility, sitting, communication, accessing a computer, as well as

Every academic area

Employment site

Social setting

Tools range from high-tech (devices, computer software, etc) to low-tech (magnifiers, page fluffers, pencil grips)

The Continuum of Technology

Assistive Technology

No/Low Tech

SimpleLittle Maintenance

Limited/no electronics

Mid Tech

Some MaintenanceSome Training

More Electronics

High Tech

Complex Electronics

More TrainingMore Maintenance

Assistive Technology: What exactly is it?

Communication Device

Keyboards

More Assistive Technology

Even More Assistive Technology

…And More Assistive Technology

But wait, there’s even more…

What makes it Assistive Technology?

It is used by someone with a disability to support their needs due to their disabilities.

Why use Assistive Technology?

IDEA 1988 was the first time that IDEA governed the provision of AT

Provides students with another way to access materials

May motivate some students more so than only using traditional means

May help the teacher distribute her time/workload

May help a student achieve and maintain employment

May help student to continue their education

Identify the Skill, not the Technology

When thinking about how best to implement technology it is necessary to determine what skill the student needs support in

After the skill has been identified, then the appropriate technology can be identified as well.

ADE has created a tool to assist teachers in properly identifying both the skill and the technology options to support that skill.

Highlighting Tape

Simple solution to teach spelling patterns, parts of

speech, etc.

More ExamplesUpper

ElementaryLower

Elementary

Natural Reader Natural Reader Video

Scavenger Hunt… Think of your Youngins… Andreah, Marianna,

Staci, and Mitchell.

Go into the pseudo AT Lab (follow the signs to Project MATTERS) and write down 3 to 5 pieces of AT with a little description of how it might help.

Come back and share what you discovered with your teams.

Team share 3 or more pieces of AT.